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Coastal Water Council for the Central Part of the Limfjord

Klimafonden Skive joins Coastal Water Council for the Central Limfjord

Together with 18 other local organisations and associations, Klimafonden Skive has been appointed to a Coastal Water Council for the Inner Limfjord. The council’s task is to prioritise actions and develop new solutions to improve the aquatic environment.

The Inner Limfjord faces significant environmental challenges. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency highlights a strong need to reduce nutrient discharges from the surrounding catchment. As part of the national water plans, local coastal water councils have been established to provide analyses and identify the most effective paths to good ecological status. The council for the Inner Limfjord is one of these.

The council brings together a broad group of local stakeholders, working alongside experts from Aarhus University, DTU Aqua and the Danish Hydraulic Institute. Based on local knowledge, the council will prioritise actions and explore alternative ways to meet the targets set in the river basin management plans.

Klimafonden Skive participates as a neutral partner. The council’s secretariat is based in Viborg.

“We look forward to contributing to solving one of the major local environmental challenges and are proud to be part of such a dedicated group. We also hope this work can help build the foundation for long-term collaboration, as this will remain highly relevant for years to come,” says Project Director Anne-Mette Langvad, who represents Klimafonden Skive in the council.

The Inner Limfjord includes Bjørnsholm Bay, Riisgårde Broad, Lovns Broad, Skive Fjord and Hjarbæk Fjord.

The purpose of the council is clear: to bring local actors and ideas into play.

Key Tasks

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has defined the council’s main tasks:

  • Strengthen local ownership, implementation and prioritisation of measures under the national water plan

  • Support a broad, locally anchored effort to improve nature and environmental conditions

  • Contribute to the overall green transition in the catchment area.

Recommendations

Targeted land use change is key. Agricultural land should be taken out of production or converted where the impact is greatest.

At the same time, the council recommends a strong focus on establishing wetlands and reducing phosphorus from wastewater treatment plants, fish farms and erosion in the catchment.

Reaching these goals requires funding.

All Measures Must be in Play

The council concludes that no single sector can deliver the solution:

  • Marine measures cannot replace reductions on land but can support faster ecological recovery

  • Point source pollution must be reduced, primarily from fish farms and wastewater treatment plants

  • A large-scale expansion of wetlands is necessary, including taking land out of cultivation

  • More tools are needed within conventional agriculture

  • Land use practices must change – both within and beyond river valleys

Two Scenarios – Difficult Choices

The council presents two scenarios. The scale of the required efforts makes this a complex task, with significant consequences—whether action is taken or not.

To succeed, clear conditions and funding are essential:

  • Fair compensation for landowners – including buildings, livestock and machinery

  • Funding for land retirement and improved treatment at fish farms

  • Tree planting along selected watercourses

  • Faster and simpler wetland establishment

  • Integration of land use change with renewable energy and biodiversity

  • Stronger focus on phosphorus reduction